Saints head coach Sean Payton tests positive for COVID-19

The New Orleans Saints will be without their head coach for their appearance on Sunday Night Football this week, as Sean Payton has tested positive for COVID-19. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the news.

Payton missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness, but he had not yet been tested for the virus.

New Orleans defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will serve as the head coach this weekend. Payton is expected to be available to coach the Saints’ game against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 27. A final decision on offensive play calling has not yet been made.

This is the head coach’s second COVID-19 episode, as Payton was the first publicly confirmed case of the virus in the NFL in March 2020. He is the second head coach this week to test positive, as Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski will also be out for the Browns, who are dealing with a large outbreak on the team.

New Orleans heads to Tampa on Sunday to face the division-leading, 10-3 Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is an 11-point favorite over the 6-7 Saints. New Orleans won the first meeting this season, topping the Bucs 36-27 in the game in which quarterback Jameis Winston tore his ACL.

The Saints have won six consecutive regular season meetings against Tampa Bay, with their only loss since early 2018 coming in the 2020 playoffs.

The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.

Saints trying to make late playoff push

The Saints have made the NFL playoffs for four consecutive years, but that streak is in jeopardy. After starting the season 5-2, New Orleans lost five straight games. Outside of a 31-6 blowout at the hands of the Buffalo Bills, all of the losses were within 11 points, and two were by just two points.

They ended that losing skid last weekend against the New York Jets in a 30-9 victory, and they hope to get back on track in their four remaining games.

Once they play Tampa Bay, their three remaining opponents – the Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons – have a combined record of 17-22.

Through 13 weeks, New Orleans has just a 26% chance to make the playoffs, but a win over Tampa Bay would obviously be excellent for their chances. The Bucs have a 38% chance to win the NFC South, but they do not necessarily control their own destiny at this point.